As an employer, you can take advantage of various programs that encourage the recruitment and hiring of people with disabilities. This will also make you eligible for tax credits that help cover the cost of accommodations for employees with disabilities. While this is an excellent way to expand and enhance your business, keep in mind that you will need to comply with certain legal requirements concerning the accommodation of employees with disabilities.
If you are a new employer or new to employing people with disabilities, you should start by reading the Guide to Disability Rights Laws. This guide summarizes the major disability laws affecting employers, governments, schools and other organizations.
Americans with Disabilities Act
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires any employer with 15 or more employees to provide reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities, unless doing so would cause undue hardship. A reasonable accommodation is any change in the work environment that enables a person with a disability to enjoy equal employment opportunities.
Explore these resources for more information on how to comply with the ADA.
Provides an easy-to-read, overview of the basic employment provisions of the ADA as they relate to employees and job applicants.
Explains how to comply with the ADA's nondiscrimination standards when hiring and employing people with disabilities.
Offers answers to key questions facing small businesses in connection with reasonable accommodations. Read about the obligations of both employers and individuals with disabilities, and review the limits on how far employers must go in providing reasonable accommodations.
Hiring People with Disabilities
Now that you are familiar with ADA, you are ready to take the next steps in employing people with disabilities. The following resources will help you understand the ins and outs of hiring people with disabilities.
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Do's and Don'ts of Hiring Persons With Disabilities
Provides a checklist for how to comply with ADA standards.
Links to resources for recruiting, employing and accommodating people with disabilities in the workplace.
Covers the benefits and tax incentives for employers hiring veterans with service-connected disabilities.
Offers a free consulting service designed to increase the employability of people with disabilities by providing individualized worksite accommodations solutions and compliance with the ADA.
Worksite Accommodations
If you have decided to employ people with special needs, you must be sure that they will have a comfortable work environment. These Worksite Accommodation Fact Sheets will help you ensure that all your employees have a safe and comfortable work environment.
Federal Tax Incentives
Employing people with disabilities will qualify you for various tax credits from the federal government. Click on these links to learn more about which credits you may be eligible for.
Provides an overview on the tax incentives available to help employers cover accommodation costs for employees and/or customers with disabilities, making their businesses accessible for everyone.
Supplies information on the Internal Revenue Service's disability-related provisions of particular interest to businesses as well as people with disabilities.
Details tax incentives available to help small businesses cover the cost of accommodations for employees with disabilities and to make their places of business accessible.
Covers how to take advantage of the tax credit and deduction available for complying with the ADA.